Luxy312

The simple idea that Belichick simply conceded a loss is ridiculous. Just entertaining the thought that a head coach is 3-0 going into game 4 and has started 2 different backups and somehow is just OK with taking a loss, makes me laugh out loud. I laugh even louder when now some are saying that's what he did. He simply got out game planned. Outside of one good game a couple years ago, Blount has never really done a bunch of damage against the Bills. Belichick just seemed to think that if he kept running the ball that it would somehow work out. It didn't. They had one drive in the entire first half that went more than 10 yards. They had just one first down. The Patriots defense had been pretty good as well, especially in the last two games, generating 7 turnovers. Combine all those things and Rex had a good game plan that was executed well. They got after Brissett pretty hard.

The Patriots are 6-3 versus Roethlisberger Steelers teams. The conceded losses in 2004, 2008 and 2011.

I got my Brown guys mixed up. Yes. Please go back and check the schedule in 2003. Bills shutout the Patriots in Buffalo on week 1 of the regular season 31-0. Patriots came back and shut out the Bills at home themselves in week 31-0.

Stats-wise, the single biggest determinant to football games is turnovers. Historically, teams that are -1 in games lose about 90% of the time. -2 raises that figure to 95% and -3 raises it to over 97%. If you go back and actually run correlations of teams with a significantly positive turnover margin, they're in the playoffs almost all of the time. All of the top-10 teams in turnovers last year were in the playoffs. The other 6 teams ranked 10th (3 teams tied), 14th, 15th, and 19th. There's always exceptions to the rule (Denver was 19th last year), but this mostly does hold true.

My observations from the game yesterday, both positive and negative. Positive The defense was stingy, particularly in the first half. They allowed the Patriots only one first down and one drive over 10 yards. LeSean McCoy looked like his old self on the field, being the elusive runner that we thought we were going to get. Taylor made more short throws yesterday, than I recall seeing all of last year. The team blanked the Patriots and yet were without Dareus, Watkins, Lawson, and Ragland. I didn't see any bone headed penalties by some of our typical violators (Hughes). Our corners had their receivers locked down pretty much all day. Zach Brown was a man amongst boys out there. Impressive day from him. Clay was more involved in the offense. Hope that continues when (if) Sammy comes back. Negative The Patriots game plan was clearly to limit mistakes from Brissett, which allowed the Bills defense to be as aggressive as they were. Play calling will not look similar with Brady back. Rex and the coaching staff seemed to abandon what was working offensively in the first half (short to middle throws), in lieu of just burying the Patriots. The defense did not solve the "TE puzzle". Tyrod had some errant throws to wide-open targets that I'm sure he wishes he could do over. I would have liked to see more TD's in lieu of FG's. Overall, the team that looked to be a goat in weeks 1-2 has looked to be the real deal in weeks 3-4. We got 3 games before we get New England back at the Ralph. They are 3 winnable games to boot. Let's hope that they don't fold like a wet napkin.

Wrong. They win because of Belichick. That's been proven every time Brady has been out, including the first 3 weeks of this season. Don't shine Brady's knob without due cause. Your thread title and point are still very much lacking.

Do we beat the Pats and Brady though with one td and Ragland, Dareus, Watkins, and Lawson? I would call all those guys pretty good talent. That said in terms of Ragland, Preston Brown was a fierce beast today.

Nice thought, but one data point. Let's beat "Brady" without Ragland, Dareus, and Lawson. Only 3 starters on defense that would likely (opinion) have made the game more lopsided than what it was. Sorry to say, but you put the "aint" in "taint".

I see so very many threads talking about the wins and losses for this Buffalo team. They also talk about beating the Patriots (long overdue) and the defense. What little I read about is how people feel about Taylor's development. The one thing that I saw today and I'm pretty sure I want to see more of it, is that he's starting to make those middle of the field throws and reads that he wasn't seeing before. This is not a little deal, but a BIG FN deal. Beli-cheat took away the long ball and the short screens and said basically "beat me in the middle". Tyrod up until today was completely incapable of doing that. Now at least we have a work in progress. Mid-game, he was genius. Early and late, reverted to checkdown stuff, but he's making some throws. That, all by itself presents optimism for the season.

We didn't beat Brady. The Patriots didn't beat Watkins, Ragland, Lawson, or Dareus. Kind of a dumbass thread.

Lincoln Station in Chicago. It will be 4 deep at the bar and full of Bills fans.

I can honestly say that I was spot on 100% in terms of what could happen and what has happened thus far. The offense has sputtered. Let's be honest in the Jets game, 45% of the offense was on only 3 plays. The other 55% earned was on 47 plays. That is anemic to say the least. Last year, I posted on TBD that for the offense to get better, Taylor had to make more anticipatory throws to mid-range targets. Basically he had to throw to where the receiver was going, not where he is. Last year I said that teams would play 2-deep safeties to take away the long ball and for the most part, that's what has happened. Thursday, we saw an offense that either threw to the line of scrimmage or threw a bomb, with hardly anything going to the middle. I'll withhold judgement until we see whether it appears that's Roman or whether that's Taylor at fault. I do think it's the latter, but 2 games isn't enough data to say with certainty. Defensively, we saw a tale of two teams. They looked solid against Baltimore, despite the inability of the offense to do anything. +1 on turnovers and they should have won the game. Against the Jets though, it's all Rex. His refusal to give safety help to the corners getting beat on play after play is baffling. Just seems like another instance where Rex just thinks he's smarter than everyone else and it made Ryan Fitzpatrick look like Tom Brady. He did the same thing last year and I was afraid it was going to spill over into this year. Yet again, it seems like there's truth there. Buffalo opened as 6.5 point dogs in Vegas to the Cardinals. I really don't give them much hope to win that game. There's always a chance in Buffalo, but then on the road to Foxboro next says 0-4 to start.

Very insightful thought. It's nefarious, but I would expect nothing less from Rex.

A loss tonight and I think the season is effectively over. When you start talking about the Patriots stealing a win in Week 1 with TG slinging it and Brady coming back in week 5, they don't stand a chance starting off 0-1 in the AFC East and 0-2 in the AFC overall. I've said this before, but the win one-lose one-win one pattern isn't going to get this team anything. They need wins to boost confidence and opening with a dud in Baltimore didn't help. A loss to Fitzy and the Jests is a loss of the season. I'll still be a fan, but will not make any special efforts to watch games, unless by some miracle they put together a streak and look like they'll have a shot at the division.

I've said this before, and probably in multiple threads. The Bills cannot afford to go 0.500 in the first four games of the season where the Patriots don't have Brady. Now they're sitting in a situation where they are already a game behind the Patriots that managed to get a road win against a very good Cardinal team with freaking Garoppolo throwing the football. Not good at all. A loss to the Jets and I say that the season is already a wash.

Houston is good. Oklahoma coaching is poor. Lots of mistakes from a team that could/should have won the game.

He makes millions, but wouldn't get a second opinion from his own doctors? Seems pretty stupid to me. If you have chronic pain of any kind, you get it diagnosed.

Fixed it for you!

Al Jizz is a rag. Anyone that listens to those clowns might as well believe that CNN and Fox are "independent journalists". LOL.

I'll vote a solid no to both suggestions of the O.P. On trading E.J., why and for what? Let's take $2.8m in dead money against the cap so that the team can trade away the only backup quarterback that has spent any time with the playbook, when you have a starter that got hurt last year because of his ability to run the football. Now you're talking about potentially having to start a rookie that has been wildly inaccurate at times in the preseason, missing his receivers by 5 or more yards on throws. The option if they get rid of E.J. is essentially going out and paying for another veteran backup. Now let's talk about Greg Hardy. He's an on and off the field pariah. A cancer. Is he a talented pass rusher? He is. Do the Bills have enough veteran leadership and locker room unity to handle him? I seriously doubt it. Buffalo handled Enemkpali because there was no risk that he would be anything more than a situational player. A guy like Hardy would be the first to create controversy in the media when he was asked to take the bench when Lawson is ready to come back. Either/both of these moves by the front office would make them look pretty stupid.

Just my humble opinion, but it all comes down to winning the first two games of the season. That will IMO define the season. Baltimore won't be very easy on the road and I would have to imagine that the Jets aren't too happy about how their season ended last year. Splitting those first two and then having a tough game against Arizona is just going to feel like that 0.500 middling success rate all over again.

Let's be perfectly frank about Striker. He's 6-0 and 221 lbs. He doesn't have safety skills or coverage skills to speak of. Why teach him, when you can get a guy that's been doing it for 3-4 years already? There isn't a position for him on Rex's defense because he would be asked to do things that he's just not capable of doing. The kid showed a lot of heart at the college level, but heart doesn't always translate to an NFL career. Ask Johnny Manziel, Tim Tebow or Jason White how their NFL careers are going. Regardless of comparisons, this kid was a UDFA. The odds of a UDFA making a team, much less becoming a starter are very low.

The coaching staff, including Ryan, have already said he has a much greater command of the defense and communication than he did last year. That's more than half the battle in a Rex Ryan defense. Understanding what the offense is trying to do and how the defense adjusts to it. I don't think he had a bad year last year. Not all pro, but not garbage either. No reason to not be optimistic.

I voted no, but would consider it under circumstances that Cleveland likely would not. First a draft pick is conditional on a number of fronts. A 3rd rounder next year that becomes a 7th if he becomes suspended during the season for the same stupid behavior that got him there before. If he gets suspended any time next season, we take back a pick from the Browns. 100% of his compensation would have to be predicated on not being in violation again. Break the rules and you get paid for time served only. Outside of all of the other potential issues he could cause for the team, those would be my conditions. There's no way the Browns agree to these terms though. They're looking for value if they're even looking for anything.

He cut himself with scissors while working on cutting out a pattern for a new sun dress.